Protecting Paradise
by Habit
Summary: *The long awaited sequel to Paradise Found* Our heroes have graduated and are now leading productive lives. But what happens when enemies from the past rear their ugly heads and try, once more, to fulfill their own selfish desires? Can Sakura and her friends stop the group who funded The Center before they destroy everything that SHINOBI has worked so hard to protect? M for reason!
1. Prologue

_**A/N: Alright people, settle down. I know everyone has waited the better part of three years for this, so, here it is. If my stupid ass cousin had done her damn job, this would have been posted and finished already. Whatever. Here you go. I do not own Naruto, only my Original Characters. Ja Ne.**_

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Prologue

_One year has passed since the destruction of the Center and the death of our comrades. One year since I met the love of my life and mated her, making her mine forever. I have watched her blame herself for their deaths, our comrades Lotus and Raidu. But I have also watched her rebuild the lives of those living in Gokuraku. Building it into a sheltering paradise for those shunned by 'normal' people. What is 'normal', exactly? What's 'normal' for one person may seem unusual for another. It is those who consider themselves 'normal' that prey on those they consider 'abnormal'. And it our job to stop them._

_ We are SHINOBI, an elite faction of enhanced soldiers that carry out missions under the guise of the private investigator corporation, Hatori Corp. We are the shadows that protect the people while they sleep. We are the light that drives away the darkness, and the assassins of those that would threaten the safety of the world. _We_ are the ones that sacrifice 'normal' to ensure that others will be safe…and can have peace._

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**_A/N: Short, yes. But not the true first chapter. I'll get there. Chill. Ja Ne._**


	2. Chapter 1

_**A/N: It's Liz again. THIS is the real first chapter I promised for the long awaited sequel of Paradise Found. For an update on what's going on and a 'calendar' of when I intend to post. My cousin is going to take care of all that, I just have to post the chapters after I write them. Anyways, I don't own Naruto, just my OCs. With that, have fun. Ja ne.**_

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Chapter 1: Memories

Sakura sighed as she laid on the bed. Over the last year, they'd bought up the land that Karin and Kankuro had talked about and they had constructed individual homes. She shared her home with Gaara and Akouji, the latter of which would be celebrating what she thought was his fifth birthday soon. There were nine houses in their secluded subdivision. Shikamaru, Temari, Kiba and Ino had the biggest house out of them all, because the two couples were sharing the house so that neither Gin nor Tsume felt awkward. It was working pretty well, especially since the four of them were no longer in school.

Yes, they had managed to finish up the year and graduate, which had been something in and of itself. The graduation party had been tremendous. However, there had been a service held for Sasuke, when it was revealed that he'd died saving someone's life. No one ever spoke of what he'd done or how he'd been killed, but even Sakura wouldn't allow his memory to be tarnished. He had, after all, tried to redeem himself. She rolled over, the cool red cotton sheets sliding over her skin.

She groaned as she felt pain in her lower back and stomach. Damn the flu…she'd been bedridden for the last three days because she'd contracted the flu from someone at the office. Seven of the executives were out with it, as well as Tsume having it and also both of her sister's kids. Her phone started ringing, a soothing little tinkling noise and she picked it up. "Panda-chan…what's going on? You never call during office hours." she said in a light voice. She heard her mate chuckle and she smiled. She always felt better after hearing him or seeing him.

"Mitsukai-chan, how are you feeling?" Sakura whined, something she was prone to do when she wanted to see him, and pouted.

"Like I have the flu." she got a wicked smile on her face and started groaning. "My body is so hot…I can barely stand the sheets against my skin. I ache all over and I can't eat anything…" she dropped her voice a little so that it was seductively light. "Though maybe what I'm trying to eat isn't what I need…" she heard his growling on the other end and knew he was getting aroused. She often did this to him, and usually he came straight to her and they mated furiously. Afterwards, he'd call the office and say he was taking the rest of the day off…which usually ended up with Kankuro or Temari getting stuck with the work he was supposed to do.

However, today he was more resistant. "You know I would come to you if I could, Sakura, but we just got in some news." she perked and listened, knowing he'd tell her. "There have been reports of people snooping around the ruins of where the Center used to be. We've deployed three units to keep an eye on the place, and the intruders." Sakura tensed and looked around. There was no one in their neighborhood, as most were either at school, work, or daycare at Gokuraku. It was still early in the day…perhaps she could- "Sakura, don't even think about it. You are not going back there. You know what happens when you do…" he trailed off and she sighed. It was true…she always broke down and her body wouldn't function. Her own pain and guilt would override her and she'd be vulnerable.

She sighed and gave up, knowing he'd feel it and soon hang up. She felt tears in her eyes and suddenly felt warmth envelope her. She knew her mate felt her distress and was attempting to comfort her. She smiled and closed her eyes. "I love you too, Gaara-kun." she said lightly and listened to him grunt and then hang up. That's just how it was these days. When at the office, he was easily embarrassed by her telling him she loved him. He wasn't much for public displays unless it was to warn other males off her. One particular incident had been at a formal dinner where all the executives of Hatori Corp and Sabaku Defense were celebrating the merger of their companies. A young executive hadn't recognized Sakura because her hair was pale pink. He'd approached her and propositioned her for a one night stand.

Gaara had appeared behind her and wrapped his arm around her waist and growled menacingly. He'd berated the man for propositioning her the way he had and then informed the man that he'd just propositioned his boss's wife. The man had retreated after profusely apologizing and Gaara had not left her side the rest of the night.

That was another thing that had changed. Gaara had asked her to stop dying her hair because he liked her natural hair color. She'd blushingly complied, and she'd had her graduation photo taken, with all of her friends and family, with pale pink hair. She sighed and rested her head on the pillow, her eyes still open. She decided that instead of dwelling on it, she'd write her feelings down. It's what had been recommended after she'd sought advice from her sister. So, Sakura took out her diary and a pen and began writing.

_'It's been almost a year since I was last at that place. It was my sole purpose to ensure its destruction and free the people of this world from its foreboding presence. Now, it's nothing more than a memory, a reminder, and a tomb._

_ A memory of the things we learned while we fought, a reminder of why we continue to fight, and a tomb for those we lost._

_ I can't help but wonder if I could have done more to save them. I have blamed myself for so long…I once told Gaara that 'fear is the mind killer'. I was right. I let my fear of Orochimaru, my memories of what he'd done to me and my family, keep me from saving my friends._

_ And for that, I am forever shamed. But I will continue to fight to protect this world…for them. For the future they desired, for the future they deserved…'_ Her writing was cut off when she felt a pulse go through her. She gripped her chest, her hand holding her dreamstone necklace to her. She felt compelled to go somewhere…something was calling her. Suddenly, she disappeared.

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Karin gasped and nearly fell to the floor as she was walking down the hall of the Hatori Corp. building. It felt like there was pressure building in her head and she gasped, collapsing. Several people rushed to her side, including Lacey and Lee. "Karin-sama! Are you alright?" Lee asked in a quiet voice, noticing she was clutching her head. Karin whimpered a name and Lee nodded before disappearing.

Lacey cradled the girl's head in her lap as she waited for her lover to return. A few minutes after disappearing, he was back, Kankuro right behind him. The brunette dropped to his knees and took Karin into his arms. "What's wrong babe?" he asked and kissed her forehead lightly. She sighed as it seemed the pressure eased tremendously. She cleared her throat and spoke softly.

"I don't know. I was walking to the files room to check on something Sakura-nee had asked me to do months ago, but with all the excitement with Obaasan's funeral and the Center, I'd forgotten. I just suddenly felt pressure building inside my mind…like something big is about to happen and…" she looked up, her eyes terrified. "Something's about to happen to Sakura!" she said in a tearful voice. Kankuro's eyes widened and he looked at Lee, who nodded and disappeared once more.

Kankuro gathered Karin to him and took her to her office, which was not too far from Sakura's. He laid her on the couch and allowed her to rest her head in his lap while he stroked her hair. He closed his eyes, thinking about what they'd have for dinner that night. They were all supposed to eat with Sakura tonight, as a family. It was supposed to be a cookout, kind of like the one they'd had the day they were tested for SHINOBI. He sighed and wondered what was up with his little brother's wife…er, mate.

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Screams echoed through the halls of the hospital in Gokuraku. A woman with black hair had her eyes clenched shut while a man with black hair and eyes was by her side, whispering gently to her. Because of what had been done, the baby inside her had incubated for a year before deciding it wanted to come out. So, here she was, pushing with all her strength to bring her child into the world. A few pushes and a lot of screaming later, a new generation of Uchiha was born.

Opening her tired eyes, the woman looked down at her baby and smiled. "Obito…he's beautiful…" she panted and leaned back against the bed. Obito smiled at her and kissed her forehead.

"Just like you, my love." he whispered and watched as his young wife took their son into her arms and kissed his tiny red forehead. He had thick black hair on his head and was so small it amazed him. He touched the child and felt warmth go through him. He closed his eyes and again thanked Sakura for rescuing him and his family from the clutches of the madman that had once been his brother.

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_**A/N: Let me know if you see anything off. I don't know if it transferred my page breaks or not. If something looks weird, let me know. Ja ne.**_


	3. Chapter 2

**_A/N: So, this is the only other chapter that was completely finished. The next chapter may not be out for a while cuz I'm supposed to be starting a new job soon. Go me. Things are...different...now. But my cousin Ma-_****MISSY GORRAMMIT, LIZ, IT'S MISSY!-_*glares at her cousin* MISSY has decided to take all my other stories away from me until I finish this one, so this will probably be the only one that I actively work on. I do have some others I have worked on (and finished, cuz they were super easy) and I will try and post a couple of those. Just...have patience, okay? This was one of the stories I...that my sister was involved with. It is...hard..._**

**_Anyways, I don't own Naruto, only my OCs. Hope you like this chapter. You're in for a surprise. Ja ne._**

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Chapter 2: Miracle

Sakura appeared above the ruins that used to be the Center. She was standing in the air, like most stand on a precipice, and stared down. There was something here, calling to her. She slowly descended and finally set foot in the ruins of hell. She looked around and felt her heart beating at an unusual rate. She felt something pulling her towards the center of the ruins, where she'd faced off with Madara. As she approached, memories assailed her. She shook her head and clutched the dreamstone. Remarkably, the memories stopped.

She picked her way carefully through the rubble and stood in the center, where Lotus and Raidu had given their lives to kill a monster. She felt the air pressure around her change and looked up. There were thick, dark clouds all around her in the sky. This confused her, because the weatherman had said it was supposed to be sunny all day long. A chilling wind kicked up debris and dust, making it swirl around her.

She clutched the necklace and wondered what was going on. Suddenly, there were a few drops of rain, and then the bottom fell out. She stood there, in the cold rain, and looked around. What was here that was calling to her? What could possibly have the power to compel her here against her mate's wishes?

And then she saw it. It was faint, but there was a glow coming from under the rubble. She felt the necklace in her hand become almost unbearably hot and then she understood. The missing piece of the dreamstone was here…buried in the rubble. She quickly ran over to it and began pushing aside the rubble. When she managed to find it, it was lying on a bloodstained rock. There were two distinct drying patterns. One was darker than the other, meaning that person had died first. Overlapping it slightly was another, this one lighter.

Sakura choked on a sob and looked away. This was the spot where Lotus and Raidu had been when Lotus had self-destructed and taken everything in the Center with her. She shook her head and wrapped her arms around herself. She'd purged Lotus's emotions months ago, not wanting to have to live with the pain Lotus had experienced at losing Raidu. Getting herself under control, she stared at the shard. She'd rather have her friends back than that shard, she thought sadly. She was about to reach for it when, quite suddenly, lightning struck it.

She gasped and dove to the side, shielding her head as the lightning struck and caused a loud 'boom'. When she looked up, she gasped. There, where the shard had been, were two bodies. One male, the other female. Sakura stared in amazement as the two bodies just laid there. She felt rain hit her face and she looked up, amazed. The clouds were dispersing as suddenly as they'd appeared. Columns of light were eating through the darkness and one in particular shone down on the two bodies.

She felt another pulse, and she felt something separate from herself, making it corporeal. She gasped when she looked up to see Gabrielle._ "You have suffered so, Sakura. T'was not our intention when we gifted your clan with our powers for you to go through this. In return, we are granting your wish, and returning your friends. However, you will no longer be a soul caller. This is the exchange for your friends. Do you accept?" _tears were streaming down her face as she nodded quickly. She couldn't find her voice…this was truly a miracle.

Sakura watched as Gabrielle walked over to Lotus and held out her hand. _"Awaken, young one. Your life has been restored. Your soul is now your own and you do not rely on others to keep you living. You have been gifted with life by one willing to sacrifice much to give it to you."_ With that, Gabrielle disappeared. A man who looked a lot like Gabrielle, floated down, a small sphere in his hand. He smirked and put the sphere into the chest of the male lying on the ground. Sakura watched as the man faded from her sight. They were both gone…

A gasping noise made her jump and she looked at the two bodies as one shot up, clutching its bare chest. It was the female body. Wild silver eyes with pinpoint pupils stared around, terrified. When they lit on Sakura, the girl gasped. "H-Haruno…sama?" she asked in a hesitant voice. Sakura cried out and ran up to the girl, hugging her and shielding her nudity. It was about that time the other body started stirring. The male sat up and scratched the back of his head and then looked at the two females.

"Lotus? Sakura-sama?" he seemed really confused and then the memories came back to him and he looked at his hands. "Are…are we…dead?" he asked and looked back at Sakura, who had tears falling down her face.

"I…wha…I can't…" Sakura couldn't speak as she hugged both of them simultaneously, making them blush and look at her. When she finally calmed down enough to talk, she sniffled and told them what was going on. "I…I felt a pulse that drew me here. It was the last shard from my necklace…" she looked at them and for the first time since they'd died, she felt whole again. "You guys…you died a year ago…you saved everyone from Madara…" she said as tears trailed over his cheeks again. The two looked at one another and then at Sakura.

"We…we died?" Raidu asked and then put his hands on Lotus to ensure himself she was safe. He could remember holding Lotus and then everything was black. She seemed to be suffering the same, but many of her memories were missing as well.

"I…I remember you and I remember Raidu, and some others but…" she looked up with tears in her eyes. "There are big void spots in my mind…what's wrong with me? I can't remember anything about my past!" she choked and started crying. Raidu held her and Sakura comforted her.

"Shhh…it's alright Lotus. It's only natural that some of the things that happened are hard for you to remember. It's alright…we're here for you." she smiled at the black haired girl with silver eyes. Her hair was long, unlike before, and her eyes had pupils now. It was strange…but then, she was human now. Sakura smiled and put her hand on Lotus's face. "Lotus…listen to me. How much do you remember about what happened a year ago?" the girl's dove grey eyes looked up at Sakura with confusion.

"I…I remember a man…a very horrible man. He…he…said things. He…" she shut her eyes and shook her head. "I remember fighting. I can't remember why, but I was fighting to protect someone." she looked up and looked straight at Raidu. "I was fighting to protect Raidu…the man I love." she reached up and touched him and he smiled. He kissed her on the forehead. Lotus then looked over at Sakura. "I remember being trained…being told I was the perfect weapon. What am I?" her voice wavered as Sakura put her hand on the girl's head.

"You're human Lotus. No matter what anyone says, you're human." Sakura took off her overshirt and wrapped it around Lotus and smiled at her. The black haired girl looked up at the pink haired girl and calm spread through her.

"Human…I like that sound of that." She said and leaned back against Raidu.

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Gaara felt stirrings and knew that his mate was doing something strenuous, though she wasn't supposed to be. He'd promised her that he'd never use their connection to track her unless it was an emergency, but he was sorely tempted to peek and see what was going on. However, someone ran through his office door, their eyes wide as they held out a piece of paper. "We just managed to intercept this, sir. I think you should take a look at it." Gaara took the paper and his eyes narrowed. Sakura would need to see this immediately. He sat the paper on his desk and got up, walking out. The man looked back over at the paper, knowing it was bad news.

_'Center has been destroyed. All work on bioweapon Lotus halted. Use backup plan 476B. See you in three weeks.' _the man had no idea what the 'Center' was, or about backup plans. But he definitely knew what a bioweapon was. His fists clenched…someone was trying to start a war…

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_**A/N: So, there you go. Another chapter. Hope you enjoy. I'm working on chapter 3, but it may be a while before I get time to post it. Don't get used to multiple chapter posts. This will be the one and only time you'll get this many at once unless I have trouble sleeping...again. Anyways, enjoy. Again, I only own my OCs, not the Naruto characters themselves. Ja ne.**_


	4. Sorry, Not A Chapter :(

I know I haven't been on in a while, but I just wanted to give you guys a little update on things. I am a nurse, and as such, I have been on the front lines throughout this entire COVID-19 disaster. It has been really hard to watch my friends and family worry about me constantly because of my job, and it has been equally hard to watch the families of those who have been infected. The amount of death and despair is enough to depress anyone, but this whole thing struck really close to home when Liz (the original Habit) was rushed to the hospital with symptoms of COVID-19 infection. As most of her devoted fans know, Liz has had major medical problems all her life. She's a transplant recipient on top of everything else she's had going against her. Liz was hospitalized with COVID-19 back in March, and there for a bit, we weren't certain she was going to make it. However, I am happy to announce that she is now fully recovered and was discharged on July 1st. She is now home, and I have been reassigned (by my own boss mind you) as her personal in-home care nurse. This means that we are both now out immediate danger and, HOPEFULLY, will be able to give you some much deserved stories! *insert crowds cheering here* Ok, now that I have let y'all know what was going on, I'm zippin off. I have medicines to administer and a cousin to torment. *evil cackle*


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